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In default configuration MINT protocol is enabled and used only between wireless radio interfaces. However, in order to create interconnected (by MINT protocol) MINT area MINT-over-Ethernet interfaces (PRF) are required.

In order to enable MINT-over-Ethernet it is required proceed to the following:

• Create virtual Pseudo Radio Interface (PRF). PRF can be created as logical sub-interface for plain physical Ethernet interface (parent interface), or as logical sub-interface for another logical interface (for example, VLAN interface can be used as parent interface for PRF);
• Start MINT protocol for PRF interface;
• JOIN command connects creates internal bonds connection between MINT areas behind Radio interfaces interface and PRF interfaces.

Within the same Ethernet broadcast domain (LAN) two (or more) IW units InfiNet Wireless units with PRF interfaces created, with MINT protocol started can find each other and establish communication connection via MINT protocol by sending and receiving Ethernet broadcasts initiallyframes. Thereafter, IW units InfiNet Wireless units will use Ethernet unicast data transfer.

VLAN considerations

In case two IW are InfiNet Wireless devices are placed within certain VLAN, then configuration of PRF should be corrected performed with certain VLAN tag . Please pay attention that default configuration (or template part) should exactly use the relevant VLAN tag number.specified.

MINT-over-Ethernet & VLANs

MINT-over-Ethernet does generate generates broadcast traffic to detect and find other MINT neighbors. Sometimes, such broadcast traffic could be treated as abnormal for network, especially for enterprise networking with comprehensive network security policy.

Moreover, in vast whole MINT-over-Ethernet network different MINT-over-Ethernet areas should be isolated from each other in order to provide complex traffic engineering or prevent undesired traffic path selection.   Hence, VLAN separation should be used in such cases.

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Steps to configure MINT-over-Ethernet are shown below. Only step 1 is different for untagged approach (1a) and for vlan based approach (1b).

CLI based configuration

1a1. Create Pseudo Radio (PRF) interface for untagged interconnectionon all devices and set eth0 as parent:

Master#console>ifconfig prf0 up
prf0 link administratively up


Master#console>prf 0 parent eth0
OK.

2. Start MINT protocol for PRF interface:

Master#console>mint prf0 start
OK.

Check the connection between devices:

Master#console>mint prf0 map detail

==============================================================================
Interface prf0  (parent eth0)
Node  00043503724F  "Master", Id 25871, Nid 0, (Master)

 ------- ---------------------------- ------------ -------
   Id         Name                        Node     Options
 ------- ---------------------------- ------------ -------
   60756 Slave 2                      00043503FA94 prf
	  load 64/0, pps 6/0, cost 51
	   H11v2.1.11, up 00:00:24
 ------- ---------------------------- ------------ -------
 1 active neighbors
 Total load: 64/0 (rx/tx), 64 (sum) Kbps
 Total nodes in area: 2

Right now we have created and enabled radio link and backup MINT-over-Ethernet paths. We have just created and enabled TWO independent instances of MINT protocol. Both instances are completely independent and have no information of each other, no matter they are started inside the same unit.

Therefore, the next step is to join these instances together.

3. Make unified MINT interface by join command:

Master#console>mint join prf0 rf5.0

Complete list of joined interfaces:
mint join rf5.0 prf0

Now, both MINT interfaces are treated by the unit as single entity, hence MINT exchange information using both legs (wireless and wired).

4. In order to allow management traffic reach the unit, switch group need to be configured.

4a. In case of VLAN based management, VLAN interface is requiered with parent eth0 interface. Created VLAN interface and one of joined interfaces (rf or prf) need to be added to switch group. We strongly recommend you to set switch group number same with VLAN used to avoid confusion.

Master#console>ifconfig vlan100 vlan 100 vlandev eth0 up

Master#console>sw group 100 add vlan100 rf5.0
OK.

Master#console>sw group 100 start
OK.

4b. If no VLAN is used for management, it is enough to add eth0 interface and one of joined interfaces (rf or prf) to switch group.

Master#console>sw group 100 add eth0 rf5.0
OK.

Master#console>sw group 100 start
OK.

5. Create management svi interface, add it to the group and set the IP address to svi interface.

Master#console>ifc svi100 up
svi100 link administratively up

Master#console>svi 100 group 100
OK.

Master#console>ifc svi100 192.168.1.3/24
OK.

6. Don't forget to save the configuration.

Master#console>config save